Vacuum producing device



Feb. 16, 1937. w, COYNE -r L, 2,070,562

VACUUM PRODUCING DEVICE Filed March 6, 1935 //vv/v'1-oes l Vi/l/o'm E.Coy/7e Joseph C. De Lacy BY 75/: ATIOANEYJ i aienteci Feb. 16, 1937UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE William R. Ooyne and Joseph C. De Lacy,Minneapolis, Minn.

Application March 6, 1935, Serial No. 9,578

.2 Claims.

Primarily, our invention has for its object to provide an extremelysimple and highly efficient vacuum cleaner for picking up or collectingdust and separating the same from the air; but the invention is capableof various other uses such as for producing a forced circulation ofwater. The device is of the hydraulic type wherein partial vacuum orsuction for picking up the dust is provided by a spray of water producedat high velocity.

A preferred form of the invention designed for use as a vacuum cleaner,is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein like charactersindicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective showing the complete device;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken axially through thedevice, some parts being broken away; and

Fig. 3 is a detail partly in side elevation and partly in verticalsection showing a part of the suction tube of the cleaner.

In this preferred arrangement, we provide a vshaped hollow casing 4constructed in conduitforming prongs 5 and 6 and with an axiallyupwardly projecting neck 1 and with a depending internally threadedlower neck 8, to which latter is secured a depending tube 9. The sleeve1,

neck 8 and tube 9 constitute what is herein designated as an ejectionconduit into the intermediate upper portion of which the suctionconduits 5 and 6 open, leaving a relatively dead air chamber In withinthe upper neck 1. The upper neck 1, lower neck 8 and tube 9 are in axialalignment so as to bring all of the ejection conduit-forming portions intrue axial alignment. 'At its extreme upper end, the upper neck 1 isformed with a seat against which the rounded boss H of a coupling head[2 is seated with freedom for locking adjustments. This head l2 has anoutstanding flange through which machine screws l2 are freely passedinto threaded engagement with an outstanding flange on the upper end ofthe upper neck 1. An ejector jet l3 which is of very small axialpassage, is applied to the head l2 preferably by screw-threadedengagement. The axial passage of this jet [3 is in axial alignment withthe axis of the ejector conduit. By different adjustments or tighteningof the screws l2, the jet may be set so that the water spray y projectedtherefrom will be in true axial alignment with the interior of the tube9 and will spread into complete contact with 5 the Walls thereof so asto have an air propelling action that may be likened to that of acontinuously moving piston, see Fig. 2. Supply of water from a sourceunder comparatively high pressures such as city water main, will bedelivered to the head i 2 and jet i3 through a lead pipe 5 i4 shown ascoupled to the head by a union [5.

A suction conduit 5 is connected to the device for picking up dust. Thisdevice is shown in the form of a pick-up nozzle I6, which by a rubberhose H or the like, is connected to a t0rtu- 10 one tube i la which, inturn, is directly connected to the suction conduit 5 by an elbow I8. Thenumeral i9 indicates a glass jar shown as detachably connected to theintermediate portion of the tube Ha. By reference to Fig. 3, it will 15I be noted that the tube Ila has an interior deflecting flange 26 which,as will presently be noted, causes the dust-laden air to pass more orless into the jar I9 so that the dust-collecting action may be observed.Of course, the elements 20 just described may be greatly modified so faras the vital features of the invention are concerned. To the suctionconduit or branch 6, a vacuum gauge 2! is shown as connected through anelbow 22 and. a detachable head 23, which 25 latter, as shown, isscrew-threaded into the outer end of conduit 6. This vacuum gauge, whilenot an essential feature, is desirable to enable the operator todetermine the amount of vacuum or suction that is being produced by thedevice. 30 The lower end of the tube 9 is shown as connected into a canor chamber wherein the separation of the clean air from the dust andwater is effected. This can is shown as provided at its top with aplurality of clean air discharge 35 passages 24 and below said portswith a transverse-baifle 25 which has a large axial passage 25. Theextreme bottom of the can is shown as provided with a raised conicalsurface 21 that is surrounded by an annular upstanding flange 40 28spaced from the walls of the can; A water discharge pipe 29 leads fromthe bottom or lower portion of the can. The above described arrangementof the can and its interior parts may be greatly modified or eliminatedso far as the 45 broad idea of my invention is concerned.

The numeral'36 indicates a casing that closes the structure 5, 6, l andwhile not an essential feature, is desirable especially for appearancesake. 50

The operation of the device constructed as illustrated and described, issubstantially as follows: The spray-like column of water y ejected fromthe jet I3 will, as stated and illustrated, completely fill the pipe 9,which constitutes the 5 lower portion of the ejection conduit and by acontinuous forcing of the air downward through said conduit, will createa partial vacuum and a proper degree of suction in the conduit 5 andconnections thereof to the pick-up nozzle IS. The

dust of the dust-laden air will be flrst'drawn into the upper end of thetube 9 and will be commingled with and picked up by the water spray andpositively forced downward into the can or receptacle. The water ladenwith dust will be delivered into the bottom of the can while the 'cleanair will escape through the ports 24. The dust-laden water will bedashed into a sort of a cup structure formed by the. flange 28 and willoverflow and finally run out of the drain or discharge pipe 29.

It is very important to note that the dust-laden air will not enter thechamber 19 formed within the upper neck I of the ejector conduit andhence is prevented from coming into contact with and clogging up thepassage of the jet. This feature of arranging the suction conduit 5 forcom munication with the intermediate portion of the ejection conduit,thus avoids a difliculty hitherto encountered, to wit: the accumulationof dust and dirt on or around the jet with resulting clogging thereof.

As is clearly shown in Fig. 2, the ejector jet has a very small diameteras compared with that of discharge tube 9 and discharges a fluid columnof gradually increasing diameter into the tube 9.

The tube 9 is often of very great length, 6 or 8 feet for example, andin view of this great length' it is, of very great importance that thecolumn of fluid be projected in absolute alignment with the axis of thetube 9 if maximum vacuum producing efiiciency is to be obtained and thefull length of the tube 9 taken advantage of. This, of course, requiresvery accurate adjustment of the jet especially when the tube 9 is ofcomparatively great length. Since these vacuum producing devices areshipped great distances where they are subject to rough handling and areoften 1 partially assembled on the job, it is very 'difficult tosoadjust the jet at the factory that they will in all cases be properlyadjusted when the device is finally installed, and hence the finaladjustment of the jet must often be made on the job.

. The arrangement of the jet in respect to the other cooperatingelements makes this desired final adjustment a very simple matter forlayman or" mechanic: alike. 1

Attention is calledto: the importantfact that thedischarge end of thepassage of the jet I3 is approximately in or slightly above thetransverse plane of the engagement between the bearing 7 surface I I andits, seat. Otherwise stated; the discharge extremity of said jet passageis so close to the neutral point or axis of rotation of said head, thatthe rocking adjustments of said head to align the water spray with theinterior of the pipe or tube 9 does not to any perceptible extent shiftthe point of discharge of the jet in a transverse direction. Hitherto,it has been the practice to machine the bearing head and its seat withthe intention of setting the water passage of r the jet in alignmentwith the axis of the tube or passage into which the water spray isprojected;

but in practice, it has been found that this arrangement does notaccomplish the desired result, 1

for the following reasons: First, that it cannot always be determined inadvance that a tube such as the tube 9 will always be in true axialalignment with the axis of an applied head and nipple, and in the,second place, it has been found that the projection of the spray will becaused to drift more or less to one side if, for

example; the water is delivered to the head through a curved pipe suchas an elbow. The

arrangement for adjustment described provides means for accuratelysetting the jet, for the proper projection of the water spray.

lThe illustrated embodiment of the invention includes certain minor aswell as major features,

' and it will be understood that the minor features may be very greatlyvaried within the scope of' the invention and within the scope of theappended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a device of the kind described, an ejector conduit involving anair chamber having an air intake and provided with a projectingdischarge tube, in combination with a head seated in a wall of saidchamber spaced from, but aligned with, the receiving end of saiddischarge tube,

for universal rocking adjustments, and an ejec-,

tor jet of very small diameter as compared with said discharge tube, thedelivery end of said jet being so close to the neutral point or axis ofoscillation of said head, that rocking adjustments of said head and jetdo not materially shift the point of discharge from'said jettransversely of said discharge tube, and means locking said head,

with a fluid-tight joint, in different angular ad-5 justments, so as tosetsaid jet for proper delivery of a water spray into said dischargetube.

2. In a device of the kind described, an ejector conduitinvolving atubular dead air chamber and, axially spaced therefrom, but alignedtherewith, a discharge tube, and having between said tubular dead airchamber and discharge tube an expanded space with an air intake,incombinationwith ahead seated at the receiving end of charge tube, andmeans for locking said head,

with a fluid-tight joint, in different angular adjustments, so as to setthe said jet for proper delivery of a water spray into said discharge 7tube.

WILLIAM R; 'COYNE. JOSEPH 0. DE LACY.

